The Colorado Court orders alimony, also commonly referred to as spousal support, for either party when the party requesting it lacks sufficient property, including his or her share of any marital property, to provide for his or her needs, and is unable to support himself or herself through work, or has custody of a child and the circumstances are such that the spouse should not be required to seek employment outside the home.

There is no automatic right to spousal support, according to Colorado Divorce and Family Law Guide. Instead, the Court considers the divorced couple's standard of living before and during the marriage, and the paying spouse's ability to pay maintenance and provide for himself or herself at the same time.

The amount of alimony awarded in Colorado depends on the financial resources of the appellant, and his or her independent finances through work or family. The Court also considers the age, physical state and emotional state of the alimony petitioner. A final factor the Court will consider is the ability of the payor to meet his or her own needs while paying alimony.

In Colorado the support payments (if any) can certainly influence how the marital property distribution is awarded, which is why it can become a very intricate part of the final outcome of any divorce.

According to Colorado Divorce and Family Law Guide, maintenance ends when one former spouse dies or when the one recipient spouse remarries. Colorado Divorce Information notes that the Court may also dictate another ending point because maintenance may be payable for a fixed, temporary or indefinite period of time.

In Colorado alimony is discretionary. The court decides the amount and duration according to Colorado Statutes - Article 10 - Sections: 14-10-114, 14-10-117. The court considers all relevant factors including, but not limited to: